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WRESTLING GLOBE NEWSLETTER
Tuesday November 3, 2009
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Wrestling Globe Newsletter by Mike Aldren – All the latest professional wrestling news, gossip and occasional opinion direct to your mailbox.
WGN is read by industry power players, many top wrestlers and thousands of fans from all around the world.
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WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
11/2 Raw TV results from Worcester, MA: The Miz over Evan Bourne; Sheamus over Jamie Noble via stoppage; Kofi Kingston, MVP & Mark Henry over Randy Orton & Legacy; Alicia Fox won a Diva battle royal for a titleshot; and Chris Jericho over John Cena & Big Show in a three-way.
The Smackdown/ECW tapings are tonight in Providence. ECW main event is Christian & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov. Also, Vance Archer, the former Lance Hoyt makes his debut. Only Smackdown match announced is Batista vs. Matt Hardy, and they shot a pre tape this afternoon with Josh Matthews interviewing Rey Mysterio.
WWE hits Europe this coming week for the start of a two-week tour. We’re looking for brief house show reports from Dublin, Glasgow, Frankfurt, Newcastle, Bressels, Minehead, Dusseldorf, Liverpool, and Nottingham to [email protected].
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There has been recent internal discussion about what to do with talent and their Twitter accounts. This has been brought on by the likes of Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero, and Shad Gaspard making controversial statements after “playing too many video games” and even going back several months to Joey Styles and his political rants against Obama.
There are some in management, although not many, espousing the benefits of Twitter as a promotional tool while others mostly want a blanket ban on all talent Tweeting under their gimmick names, or at least Tweeting after Midnight, to prevent the company being connected to anything that would upset those who matter, i.e. sponsors and advertisers.
Gerald Brisco is recovering well following surgery earlier this year after suffering a series of mini strokes. However, the latest word is that he isn’t expected back on the road with WWE in the foreseeable future.
Danny Flexen, a writer with Boxing News magazine, briefly interviewed Stephanie McMahon at the recent Mayweather-Marquez fight in Las Vegas.
The entire interview is transcribed in the latest issue of PowerSlam magazine in the UK. When asked about separating her personal and professional life she said she rarely ever has an argument with Triple H. “Sometimes, you can take your work home with you and sometimes you don’t,” she said. “But we always work things out.” She said reading TV reviews on the Internet used to bother her but now she ignores them: “I don’t read the dirt sheets at all anymore: they used to really bother me. But the numbers — live event attendances, TV ratings — they tell me what I’m doing right and wrong. We’re lucky in that way: we have a focus group in every town we go to every night, so if something’s not working, we find out quickly and we can change it. We could be heading in the wrong direction and then completely change it.” When asked about butting heads with Shane, and bare in mind she was asked this before Shane resigned, she said: “Our roles don’t exactly cross over that much. But I can’t deny that we are, and always have been, competitive. Even now, as grown adults, after meetings we still play ‘touched you last’ – you know, like tag. We’ll come out all serious, and then he’ll tag me and shout, ‘touched you last!’ and then run away. (Shane’s) the head of the International operation, so our paths cross when we do international live events – but we tend to work well together. I think our type of competition is a good kind: it drives us both on and makes the business better. But I cannot foresee a day when my dad (Vince McMahon) hands over the reins to either of us. He’s still very much in charge — and, trust me, everyone knows it.”
Raw last night with Ozzy Osbourne drew a 3.45 rating and averaged 5 million viewers. Good number up against the World Series and NFL.
Edge is currently in Europe on a promotional tour. He did an interview in France at http://tinyurl.com/yf3d3kt mostly talking about video games. Regarding his recovery he talked about just starting in physical therapy and said he hopes to return for Wrestlemania.
WWE Studios has almost completed principal photography on Knucklehead, a comedy adventure starring Big Show. The movie was shot in New Orleans during the past few week’s with a production budget of around $7 million. Theatrical release in the United States is scheduled for Spring 2010. Show is a cast as Walter Kronk, a naïve giant and church orphan who is competing in a $100,000 MMA tournament to pay off his church’s debts.
Boxer Ricky Hatton was confirmed as Raw guest host next Monday in Sheffield, England. WWE sent out a press release today with Hatton talking about being a huge wrestling fan and said he is really excited about hosting the show.
Roddy Piper is now being talked about for hosting Raw at Madison Square Garden on November 16.
The Bella Twins will be appearing at the Texas Motor Speedway in Dallas on Saturday.
The Sun interviewed Kofi Kingston at http://tinyurl.com/yzn35nb. He talks about his character development, working with Randy Orton, ECW, Soccer and more.
Maria Kanellis, Bret Michaels and Sharon Osbourne were shooting footage today for Celebrity Apprentice at 24 Hour Fitness on 225 5th in New York City. They set up some work out classes in return for charity donations for the show.
Northeast indy worker Brooke Carter is working the Smackdown tapings today.
TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION WRESTLING NEWS
No Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff or Kevin Nash at the TV tapings this week.
Mick Foley did make the shows after his comedy club gig in New York City
was postponed at short notice.
53-year-old Jim Neidhart made his debut at today’s taping. TNA people
are already speculating the presence of Neidhart is a play to service
Bret Hart, but it’s actually part of a new storyline involving Jay
Lethal, that may lead to something bigger down the road.
Raven also worked the tapings and appears to be coming back as a
regular.
There is a flu epidemic in the locker room right now.
Tara vs. Daffney was originally on the booking sheets this week but that
changed as Daffney wasn’t cleared after the insane barbed wire bump at
Bound For Glory. She worked the tapings but didn’t wrestle.
Jim Cornette commented on the decision to sign Hulk Hogan. He said the
signing reminded him of why he hated corporate wrestling but got a kick
out of the possibility that the news would increase the blood pressure
of Vince McMahon. “They have reunited the same team that helped WCW lose
more money than any wrestling promotion in history,” Cornette wrote on
his website. “In all seriousness, of course Hogan’s presence will boost
ratings, at least in the short term, and one or two PPV appearances over
six months or a year will do buys far beyond anything TNA’s ever done on
PPV. He can get publicity like no one else associated with TNA. Bischoff
has proven he can get television deals done, just possibly not GOOD
television shows MADE. But to me there are still issues. Vince Russo and
Ed Ferrara are still writing the show. If a lot of people are looking at
a turd, does it smell better? This is not a company-making move unless
the extra viewers see a product they can get hooked on when Hogan isn’t
there or gone.” You can read the entire commentary at
www.jimcornette.com.
Sadly no great Hogan media articles to pass along today. I am still
waiting for him to repeat the story about how he lost $100 million on
the George Foreman Grill because he missed the phone call from his agent
while picking the kids up from school so George got the grill and he
ended up with the blender.
The PPV price increase of $5 starts with Turning Point on November 15.
Lacey Von Erich is interviewed at http://tinyurl.com/ykhw2jp. She choses
her words very carefully and is suddenly a big fan of Angelina Love.
Regarding Tammy Sytch, she said: “I don’t know who she is, nor have I
followed her career. Everyone has a right to their opinions and the way
they share them to the world. You could take the classy respectful way,
or blast them on the internet, its all up to them. I ignore it, either
way.”
Jeff Jarrett returns to the ring on November 14 in Princeton, KY but it
won’t be for TNA. He faces Dutch Mantel for Joe Gray’s West Kentucky
Championship Wrestling. Apparently this will be the first time they have
worked each other in nearly 20 years.
OTHER WRESTLING NEWS
Dutch Mantel’s latest blog entry discusses his toughest working
conditions at http://theworldaccordingtodutch.blogspot.com/ and no, they
don’t include TNA.
There is a great article on the 10 things corporations can learn from
professional wrestling at http://tinyurl.com/yka656k. Everyone in
wrestling should read these and ask themselves why they aren’t done very
well any more.
Paul Heyman has exclusive news on Brock Lesnar at
http://tinyurl.com/yjl37mb including a movie role Lesnar recently turned
down with Dwayne Johnson.
Dwayne Johnson tried to make amends for snubbing an autograph seeker by
offering him a walk-on role in his latest movie. Story is at
http://tinyurl.com/yft469k.
Ultimate Death Match II was filmed last weekend at the OVW facility in
Louisville, KY. The movie is about a promoter who hosts illegal fights
to the death and streams them on the Internet. The director is a huge
pro wrestling fan and used a ton of wrestler’s including Kevin Nash, Al
Snow, Raven, Dan Severn, Kid Kash, Johnny Swinger, Brutus Beefcake,
Shane Douglas, Jimmy Valiant, Melissa Coates, April Hunter, and Melody
Starr. There were travel issues with bringing in some other talent; Sean
Waltman, Scott Hall, and Sabu were all no shows. Jake Roberts, Mike
Mondo, New Jack, Stephanie Bellars, Colt Cabana were among those
contacted to come in but their parts were cut to save on budget. We’re
told the money men behind the film are already planning to shoot
Ultimate Death Match III in January at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas.
Ring of Honor are working on an interesting deal with AAA in Mexico.
Pedro Morales, 68, and Dawn Marie celebrate birthday’s today.
One of our readers, Bruce Bennett at [email protected] is looking
for someone in North Carolina to send him a mint condition Ric Flair
lottery card. He will provide $10 for the trouble.
Former WWE Heart Throb Romeo Roselli is currently studying at the
William Esper Studio For Acting in New York City. He has a cameo in the
upcoming Angelina Jolie movie, Salt.
Bodybuilding.com has a look at the early career of Ric Drasin at
http://tinyurl.com/yg4qygk.
WRESTLING GLOBE MAILBAG
I have to laugh at Linda’s campaign attacking DODD’S credibility. Yes,
WWE does pull videos off of YouTube, but it is very convenient that
these particular videos (live sex celebration, Katie Vick) were taken
off when the Democrats attacked Linda sounding like Dan Quayle.
What the Democrats should be attacking is the fact that Linda presided
over a mutil million dollar company which is publicly traded that does
NOT provide health insurance, retirement benefits, vacation benefits etc
to their wrestlers while at the same time, making their wrestlers work
ungodly schedules. These same wrestlers make money for WWE and is the
very reason she has the lifestyle she and her family have. Linda
McMahon has NO business as a potential senator voting on health care
issues if the company she presided over does not even provide health
care benefits for the wrestlers.
Terri Bey
Lexington, KY
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